Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: Difference between revisions

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The '''Hong Kong Special Administrative Region''' (also known as '''Hong Kong''' or '''HK'''; Chinese: 香港) is a Special Administrative Region of [[People's Republic of China|China]].
[[File:Hong kong map.svg|thumb|A map of China with Hong Kong highlighted]]
The '''Hong Kong Special Administrative Region''' (also known as '''Hong Kong''', '''HK''', or '''HKSAR'''; Chinese: 香港) is a Special Administrative Region of [[People's Republic of China|China]].


Hong Kong was one of the territories occupied by the UK during the century of humiliation. After the Opium Wars, [[United kingdon|the UK]] forced the Qing Dynasty to sign a treaty signing over various territories. In 1898 a treaty was negotiated giving the British Empire control of Hong Kong for exactly 99 years rent-free.  
Hong Kong was one of the territories occupied by the UK during the century of humiliation. After the Opium Wars, [[United kingdon|the UK]] forced the Qing Dynasty to sign a treaty signing over various territories. In 1898 a treaty was negotiated giving the British Empire control of Hong Kong for exactly 99 years rent-free.  
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In 1997, Hong Kong was handed over back to China.
In 1997, Hong Kong was handed over back to China.
== 1967 Hong Kong Uprising ==
The Hong Kong 1967 riots, also known as the anti-British riots, broke out in Hong Kong in May 1967. Under the influence of the [[cultural revolution]] in mainland China, communists in Hong Kong launched a rebellion against the British colonial government. The incident transformed from an initial strike and demonstration into an open rebellion, involving assassinations and bombings. As a result, 51 people lost their lives directly in the riot, and more than 800 others were injured.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://history.sohu.com/20140605/n400463137.shtml|title=香港红卫兵暴动 英国恐惧想提前香港回归|author=枫网|date=2014-06-05}}</ref>
== 2019 Hong Kong Riots ==
=== Murder of Poon Hiu-wing ===
On 2018 February 17, Chan Tong-kai murdered his girlfriend Poon Hiu-wing in a hotel room in Taipei. He put her body in her suitcase before stealing her belongings and putting her body in some bushes. He escaped to Hong Kong before her body was found.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://news.cgtn.com/news/2019-11-06/Five-things-to-know-about-murder-case-behind-Hong-Kong-s-mass-protests-LnBGj6jMNW/index.html|title=Five things to know about murder case behind Hong Kong's mass protests|author=Li Zhao|date=2019-11-06}}</ref> Since Hong Kong hasn't signed any extradition agreements with any parts of China, the government had no ability to extradite him to face trial in the Taiwan province, and they also could not try him in Hong Kong because he did not commit any crimes while in Hong Kong.<ref name=":0" />
=== Extradition Bill ===
The Hong Kong government responded to this problem by trying to sign an extradition agreement with the PRC and ROC governments. An extradition bill, titled "''Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019''", was gazetted on 2019 March 29.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/bills/b201903291.htm|title=Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019|author=Legislative Council of Hong Kong}}</ref> The bill was aimed at targeting people who were in Hong Kong, but who had committed crimes elsewhere in China, by allowing their extradition. Despite the claims of many subsequent opponents of the bill, it never allowed for people who had committed crimes in Hong Kong to be extradited out of Hong Kong.
The HKSAR Government later issued the following statement on October 2019:<blockquote>Chan will be a free man after being released from jail. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has no authority to impose any restrictive measures on him.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.cgtn.com/news/2019-10-23/HK-or-Taiwan-Debate-over-possible-trial-location-of-murder-case-L1RY90fp84/index.html|author=He Weiwei|date=2019-10-24|title=Hong Kong or Taiwan? Debate over possible trial location of murder case}}</ref></blockquote>
=== US role ===
The proposal of this bill was then capitalized on by foreign governments, mainly the [[United States of America]].
In August 2019, Julie Eadeh, a US diplomat in Hong Kong, was caught meeting HK protest leaders.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thegrayzone.com/2019/08/17/hong-kong-protest-washington-nativism-violence/|date=2019-08-17|author=Dan Cohen|title=Behind a made-for-TV Hong Kong protest narrative, Washington is backing nativism and mob violence}}</ref>
Leaders of Hong Kong’s opposition have spent years cultivating close relationships with US politicians. They have met with Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Marco Rubio, and Rick Scott, and Tom Cotton.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thegrayzone.com/2020/06/09/hong-kongs-far-right-us-politicians-crush-black-lives-matter/|date=2020-06-09|author=Ajit Singh|title=Hong Kong’s ‘pro-democracy’ movement allies with far-right US politicians that seek to crush Black Lives Matter}}</ref>
The HKDC (Hong Kong Democracy Council) was launched on September 16, 2019, with [[Joshua Wong]] and other Hong Kong opposition figures attending the opening reception. The council was formed with the aim of “pushing the US to uphold its commitment to Hong Kong’s basic freedoms and autonomy and ''to preserve the US’s own political and economic interests in Hong Kong''.” The majority of HKDC’s advisory board is made up of members of the [[National Endowment for Democracy|NED]], the [[Open Society Foundation]], the [[Council on Foreign Relations]], and [[Freedom House]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thegrayzone.com/2019/11/22/hong-kong-opposition-unites-washington-hardliners/|title=Hong Kong’s opposition unites with Washington hardliners to ‘preserve the US’s own political and economic interests’|author=Ajit Singh|date=2019-11-22}}</ref>
Between 1995 and 2013, HKHRM (The Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor) received more than $1.9 million in funds from the NED.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mintpressnews.com/hong-kong-protests/259202/|author=Alexander Rubinstein|title=American Gov’t, NGOs Fuel and Fund Hong Kong Anti-Extradition Protests|date=2019-06-13}}</ref>
=== Violence ===
A rioter murdered an unarmed street cleaner by throwing a brick at his head.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3041606/hong-kong-police-offer-hk800000-reward-information-find|date=2019-12-11|title=Hong Kong police offer HK$800,000 reward for information to find killer of cleaner hit by brick during clash between protesters and Sheung Shui residents|author=Clifford Lo}}</ref>
A rioter murdered an unarmed civilian by throwing gasoline on him and burning him alive.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3037243/hong-kong-father-two-burned-alive-after-chasing|title=Hong Kong father of two ‘burned alive’ after chasing protesters at MTR station in grisly act of violence police classify as attempted murder|author=Clifford Lo|date=2019-12-11}}</ref>
Rioters threw [[Molotov cocktails]] at unarmed civilians.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/carlzha/status/1158548139319496706?s=21|title=That escalated quickly, Molotov cocktail now used by protesters to block Road in Hong Kong|author=Carl Zha|date=2019-08-06}}</ref>
Rioters fired flaming arrows at police.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2019/11/17/hong-kong-protesters-shoot-arrows-police-violence-intensifies/4222011002/|title=Hong Kong protesters with bows, arrows battle police for control of university, dozens arrested|author=John Bacon|date=2019-11-17}}</ref>
== Sources to later adapt into this text: ==
https://thegrayzone.com/2020/08/08/hong-kong-western-media-yellowfacing-amnesty/
https://thegrayzone.com/2019/12/04/ukrainian-nazis-hong-kong-protests/


== References ==
== References ==
<references />
<references />

Revision as of 08:41, 9 June 2021

A map of China with Hong Kong highlighted

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (also known as Hong Kong, HK, or HKSAR; Chinese: 香港) is a Special Administrative Region of China.

Hong Kong was one of the territories occupied by the UK during the century of humiliation. After the Opium Wars, the UK forced the Qing Dynasty to sign a treaty signing over various territories. In 1898 a treaty was negotiated giving the British Empire control of Hong Kong for exactly 99 years rent-free.

The governor of British Hong Kong was appointed by the Prime Minister of the UK directly. All governors of British Hong Kong were white Europeans born in the British Isles, and the first governor to speak Chinese was in 1982 (15 years before the end of British rule in Hong Kong). Under British rule, Hong Kong never held a single election and all positions of government were appointed hierarchically by the governor.

In 1997, Hong Kong was handed over back to China.

1967 Hong Kong Uprising

The Hong Kong 1967 riots, also known as the anti-British riots, broke out in Hong Kong in May 1967. Under the influence of the cultural revolution in mainland China, communists in Hong Kong launched a rebellion against the British colonial government. The incident transformed from an initial strike and demonstration into an open rebellion, involving assassinations and bombings. As a result, 51 people lost their lives directly in the riot, and more than 800 others were injured.[1]

2019 Hong Kong Riots

Murder of Poon Hiu-wing

On 2018 February 17, Chan Tong-kai murdered his girlfriend Poon Hiu-wing in a hotel room in Taipei. He put her body in her suitcase before stealing her belongings and putting her body in some bushes. He escaped to Hong Kong before her body was found.[2] Since Hong Kong hasn't signed any extradition agreements with any parts of China, the government had no ability to extradite him to face trial in the Taiwan province, and they also could not try him in Hong Kong because he did not commit any crimes while in Hong Kong.[2]

Extradition Bill

The Hong Kong government responded to this problem by trying to sign an extradition agreement with the PRC and ROC governments. An extradition bill, titled "Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019", was gazetted on 2019 March 29.[3] The bill was aimed at targeting people who were in Hong Kong, but who had committed crimes elsewhere in China, by allowing their extradition. Despite the claims of many subsequent opponents of the bill, it never allowed for people who had committed crimes in Hong Kong to be extradited out of Hong Kong.

The HKSAR Government later issued the following statement on October 2019:

Chan will be a free man after being released from jail. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has no authority to impose any restrictive measures on him.[4]

US role

The proposal of this bill was then capitalized on by foreign governments, mainly the United States of America.

In August 2019, Julie Eadeh, a US diplomat in Hong Kong, was caught meeting HK protest leaders.[5]

Leaders of Hong Kong’s opposition have spent years cultivating close relationships with US politicians. They have met with Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Marco Rubio, and Rick Scott, and Tom Cotton.[6]

The HKDC (Hong Kong Democracy Council) was launched on September 16, 2019, with Joshua Wong and other Hong Kong opposition figures attending the opening reception. The council was formed with the aim of “pushing the US to uphold its commitment to Hong Kong’s basic freedoms and autonomy and to preserve the US’s own political and economic interests in Hong Kong.” The majority of HKDC’s advisory board is made up of members of the NED, the Open Society Foundation, the Council on Foreign Relations, and Freedom House.[7]

Between 1995 and 2013, HKHRM (The Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor) received more than $1.9 million in funds from the NED.[8]

Violence

A rioter murdered an unarmed street cleaner by throwing a brick at his head.[9]

A rioter murdered an unarmed civilian by throwing gasoline on him and burning him alive.[10]

Rioters threw Molotov cocktails at unarmed civilians.[11]

Rioters fired flaming arrows at police.[12]

Sources to later adapt into this text:

https://thegrayzone.com/2020/08/08/hong-kong-western-media-yellowfacing-amnesty/

https://thegrayzone.com/2019/12/04/ukrainian-nazis-hong-kong-protests/

References